Molded case circuit breakers having contact status indication such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,154 include colored indicia formed on the circuit breaker operating handle skirt that align with a visual access slot formed in the circuit breaker cover to visually ascertain the operating conditions of the circuit breaker contacts. Three different colors are employed to differentiate between the "ON", "TRIPPED" and "OFF" conditions of the circuit breaker contacts. The TRIPPED color is located intermediate the ON and OFF colors and represents to an operator that the circuit breaker operating mechanism has been articulated to separate the circuit breaker contacts. State-of-the-Art circuit breaker operating handles that carry the colored indicia rely upon the return bias provided by the circuit breaker operating mechanism springs to return the operating handle to its center or TRIPPED position.
When a handle extender unit such as that described within U.S. patent application Ser. No. 546,826 entitled "Compact Molded Case Circuit Breaker with Increased Ampere Rating" is attached to the circuit breaker operating handle, the return bias provided by the operating mechanism springs is insufficient to exactly align the trip indicia under the visual access slot described earlier. The operator is then not completely assured that the circuit breaker contacts are in their TRIPPED condition.
When a remote actuator, such as described within U.S. patent application Ser. No. 561,760 entitled "Molded Case Circuit Breaker Variable Actuator Mechanism" is used to remotely turn the circuit breaker contacts between their ON and OFF conditions, the added resistance to the return bias of the operating mechanism springs by the connection between the operating handle and the remote operator may prevent the TRIPPED indicia from directly aligning under the visual access slot.
One purpose of the instant invention is to provide means for ensuring that the TRIP indicating indicia on the circuit breaker operating handle skirt will correctly align with the visual access slot when the circuit breaker operating mechanism is articulated to separate the circuit breaker contacts.